STEWART — One quarter.

That was the difference in Friday’s matchup between Eastern and Federal Hocking as the Lancers outgained their guests 7-3 in the third quarter to claim a 38-34 TVC Hocking division victory Friday night in Stewart.

The two teams produced identical totals at the end of three of the four quarters leaving the 7-3 third quarter advantage in favor of the home team as the difference in the game.

Both teams played to a 20-all tie at the break thanks to a 9-9 first quarter and an 11-11 second frame. They also played to an 11-all tie in the fourth quarter, leaving the third quarter as the feature of the night — sort of.

Despite deciding the outcome, Friday’s third quarter proved the least exciting of the night with only 10 points scored and long droughts between scores.

The two teams entered the third quarter tied at 20 and they remained deadlocked until the midway point of the frame when Eastern went on top 22-20 with the only basket of the quarter for the visitors.

After another lengthy offensive slump, Federal Hocking retook the lead with a Grant Smith triple and from there Grant took over. After the big three he then hit a pair of buckets — giving him all seven of his team’s third quarter points — to put his team up 27-23 at the end of the frame.

The Lancers kept that momentum rolling to start the fourth as well, adding two more baskets to extend their lead to 32-23.

Eastern finally broke their nearly four minute slump with a basket at the five minute mark of the frame and from there the Eagles put together a mini run of their own.

After breaking free from their slump the Eagles then fired off nine unanswered points, led by Kelly Winebrenner who had seven fourth quarter points, to tie the contest once again at 32-32 with a little over a minute to play.

But Eastern’s rally finally ran out of gas over the final minute of play as the Lancers, led by Tyler Thompson, edged the hosts at the finish line 38-34.

Smith did the most damage for Federal Hocking (4-6, 1-3 TVC Hocking) in Friday’s victory with 19 points including a trio of three pointers. Thompson was next with five points, followed by Brandon Torrence and Dewayne Clark with four points apiece and Evan McCune and Justin Stanley with three points each.

Stanley also led the hosts on the boards with seven rebounds.

Overall the Lancers shot 33 percent (14-42) from the floor, but struggled mightily at the free throw line hitting just 5-of-12 from the stripe.

Eastern (3-5, 1-3 TVC Hocking) was led by a trio of players with eight points apiece in Jake Lynch, Kelly Winebrenner and Tyler Hendrix. Titus Pierce was next with four points and a team-high eight rebounds and Mike Johnson, Brayden Pratt and Kyle Connery had two points each.

The Eagles were ice cold from the field, shooting just 24 percent (14-of-58) including a 2-for-14 (14 percent) night from behind the arc. Eastern also hit 6-of-8 at the stripe.

Despite the close finish, Eastern spent most of the night battling from behind.

After a closely contested first quarter, Federal Hocking was able to go up by as many as six in the second frame before the Eagles rallied back to make it 20-all at the half. Eastern also spent all but 30 seconds trailing in the fourth quarter.

Federal Hocking also claimed a win in the reserve game 52-34 over the Eagles. Jon Skidmore led the Lancers in their victory with 21 points while Andrew Benedum led Eastern with 10.

Eastern will now take the week off before returning to action next Friday at home against Trimble. The JV contest is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

Federal Hocking 38, Eastern 34

Eastern 9 11 3 11 — 34

Fed Hock 9 11 7 11 — 38

EASTERN (3-5, 1-3 TVC Hocking): Mike Johnson 1 0-0 2, Jake Lynch 3 2-4 8, Kelly Winebrenner 4 0-0 8, Brayden Pratt 1 0-0 2, Titus Pierce 1 2-2 4, Jordan Kimes 0 0-0 0, Tyler Hendrix 2 2-2 8, Andrew Benedum 0 0-0 0, Matt Whitlock 0 0-0 0, Kyle Connery 1 0-0 2, Zach Hendrix 0 0-0 0, Devon Baum 0 0-0 0, Jonathan Barrett 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 6-8 34. Three-point goals: 2 (Hendrix 2).

FEDERAL HOCKING (4-6, 1-3 TVC Hocking): Evan McCune 1 1-2 3, Chad Campbell 0 0-0 0, Brandon Torrence 1 2-4 4, Ryan Rex 0 0-0 0, Grant Smith 8 0-1 19, Aaron McPherson 0 0-0 0, Tyler Thompson 2 1-1 5, Dewayne Clark 2 0-0 4, Lance Sharp 0 0-0 0, Justin Stanley 1 1-4 3, Brent Hedges 0 0-0 0, Chris Saylor 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 13 5-10 38. Three-point goals: 3 (Smith 3).

Team statistics/Individual leaders

Field goals: E 14-58 (.241), FH 14-42 (.333); Three-point goals: E 2-14 (.142), FH 5-12 (.416); Free throws: E 6-8 (.750), 5-13 (.384); Rebounds: E 19 (Pierce 8), FH 23 (Stanley 7); Steals: E 2 (Hendrix 2), FH 1 (Rex); Assists: E 6 (Six with one apiece), FH 2 (Smith, Clark); Blocks: E 1 (Johnson), FH 2 (McCune, Stanley); Turnovers E 5, FH 8; JV score: FH 52, E 34.